Outdoors Maryland; 1807

Outdoors Maryland is made by NPT to serve all of our diverse communities and is made possible by the generous support of our members. Thank you. Coming up following the life blood of the Bush River one drop of the tongue. It's the stories of skills and tales taking to the world and discovering the living legend of Neverland he's kissing the bridges. Next. Outdoors Maryland is produced in cooperation with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Dno are inspired by nature guided by science. Follow the river from head waters to the sea and the story winds through

forests and shopping malls soars with eagles and swims with the blue crown. Captured in every river drop is the footprint of all living in the watershed. Those miles of land that drain when it rains into the creeks into the stream. And into the river. This is the story of the Bush River one of more than 50 rivers winding into the Chesapeake Bay. Bushler a watershed is quite a large It's completely enclosed within the boundaries of Harford County. Christine Buckley is an environmental engineer with the Hartford County Department of Public Works. The Bush River Watershed is unique in that it's located in Harford County but it is very similar to many watershed located within the state really encompasses every type of land use and every type of water quality issue that could be related to each of those landing zones.

Stan kolár launches his canoe in the shallow clear head waters of Winter's run. One of the bush Rivers principal tributaries. Like a drop of water stand will follow the course of the Bush River from this pristine tributary to the main stem. With regards to the water quality of the Bush River it's really dependent upon the type of land use. Stan is a professor of biology at Hartford community college. If we're talking about a forested area that's the best possible land use that we could have in the next best would be agricultural and of course the type of agriculture determines the type of water quality that we're going to have. If it's an intensive use for. There's a lot of sort of moving off the land. There are a lot of fertilizers placed on the land that have the capacity to run off then that's going to contribute to a lower water quality. Farmlands are diminishing in the county as development spreads. Standing firm against sprawl Kate and David Dallas operate Broom's Bloom dairy farm in Creswell

on the outskirts of Bel-Air. The Delane family has nine generations here since 1726. They've sold off their development rights in a conservation easement and they're preserving agricultural community by selling their own homemade ice cream and cheese as well as fresh products from nine other local farmers. When you're connected to the land through that many generations you have a very strong sense of place and you want to provide that sense of place to your children and your grandchildren. And that's really what our That ice cream store is about. The Dellums are also good neighbors to the Bush River farming with best management practices that help keep our drop of water running off these fields clean of fertilizers herbicides and silt. We're standing on the old lake Fanny Hill Road Bridge and in the background we have the Route 1 bridge which goes over what is right and directly behind that is the withdrawal point

for much of the drinking water for the town of Bel-Air. Right up the hill we have the Harford mall and all of the development which surrounds it during storm events we get a lot of runoff. A lot of sediment a lot of nutrients perhaps also insecticides. And so whatever runs down the stream the people who utilize this water are going to be drinking of course they filter in. But it's in everybody's best interest to ensure that we keep the water as pure as they can. A couple of miles downstream from Bel Air winters run converges with Plumtree run. At Atkinson reservoir. It's a muddy meeting. The spit of land that you're looking at. Represents just part of the tremendous sediment load that has been mourning five winners Ron mainly from the development of the Bel Air. Initially designed as a water source for Aberdeen Proving Ground the land surrounding the reservoir has been converted into the Harford gland Environmental Education Center. It's a drop of water from here splashes children as they learn how to protect water

quality. Sedimentation was luckily turned into opportunity at Adkisson but the county is working hard to prevent erosion and runoff with restoration projects from building storm water management problems to stabilizing neighborhood creeks. Stan sees glimmers of progress as he reaches the mouth of Winter's rock. Well this is where it all comes together. Twitter is run comes in over here at out of Pointe creek and. That water flows out into the bush River which flows out into the Chesapeake Bay. Bay grasses have started to rebound but they're often stifled by sediments and algal blooms. A sure sign that too many nutrients like fertilizers are still running off from upstream farms and suburban lawns. We still have a situation where. The water quality in the bush river is not what it should be. Now the story rises and falls with the Bay Times. Along the wide shores of the Bush River

remains down. To the west. The waters remain protected by forced buffers thanks to the easy walking league's Bosley Conservancy and the immediacy light estuary center. One of twenty six national Astron research reserves across the country. A drop of water at this site is analyzed in one of a network of continuous shallow water monitoring stations. Every 15 minutes from April to October. Water from the river is measured for a variety of factors including dissolved oxygen. Measurements confirm what the upstream algae suggest the Bush River. Like almost all of Maryland's tidal tributaries is officially impaired from too many nutrients that fuel algal blooms robbing the water of oxygen and limiting life for underwater grasses. Along the southern shores of the Bush River. A drop of water leads a secret life and restricted Aberdeen Proving Ground. Much of this land remains forested a boon for water

quality and wildlife including bald eagles. But there are concerns too about groundwater contamination from chemicals stored in the past on site. Further east with the shoreline is under development near one site lives and works to build Gunther. His family traces back five generations of waterman on the bay declines in fisheries and water quality and loss of Marina docks to development all threaten the waterman's way of life on the Bush River. An example was right up the beach here. GABLER store they're going to put in approximately 62 houses on eight acres. The Eagles and the Ospreys that the parks and they have their homes there are gone a few miles before the Bush River converges with the Chesapeake Bay. Our water dropped commingled with an important if unlikely tributary. The side run wastewater treatment plant renovated a few years ago. This time of year 9000 gallons of treated water are discharged every minute into the

bush river. Like all sewage treatment plants sand run has an important impact on water quality. Wayne Ludwig Jr. is chief of operations. Besides the Harford County sewer system connected to the facility. We author everything of all the septic tank waste generated in the county. No matter where you live in Harford County you contribute to the waste stream here at sod run. Harford County it's a great place to work and it's also a great place to live and protecting our resources. As important to me the Bush River Watershed is totally within Harford County. We all use the water we all flush our toilets. We all fertilize our lawns or gardens and so we can all take responsibility and others always hope for the river and none of us will be here for generations now but the river will be here. Hopefully it will be worth it. There are. If you want to help Marylanders discover the majesty and priceless value of our natural

resources. You might get them into the wilderness. But with nearly five million citizens that's not terribly practical. So if you can't bring the people to the wilderness. Why not bring the wilderness. To the people. This right here. Scales entails a program of the Department of Natural Resources does just that. Officially it's an educational outreach program. But in truth scales and tails is a traveling road show. Basically what we do is we go out where there's people. What I'll do is I'll make the call several times and then I'll show you guys how to do it OK. Great Horned Owls they do this they go. Rob Dyke is a naturalist for DNR. They go to libraries senior homes schools and basically any place where they want to go. And we bring out wildlife and we teach

people about their habitats. What they do out in the wild how we come across them. One of scales and tails most important messages is keep wild animals wild. So the program uses only animals that can no longer survive in the wild. All the birds and scales and tails are all what we call unreleasable. Steve McCoy is the manager of scales and tails. They're all perfectly healthy at this point they've been rehabilitated but their injuries prevent them from being released back into the wild. For instance in this bird he's missing part of his wing. It had to be amputated as a result of his accident. You're working with these animals year after year. It's not surprising that each naturalist has developed an affection for that special scales and tails player. My favorite animal in scales and tails would be probably a turkey vulture. They're actually an animal that is a more of a social animal because of the numbers of the groups they hang out and they hang out in big groups. They

tend to look at it and my opinion they tend to look at him more intelligently than say a bird who's just a hunter who just wants food. I think my favorite animal is the great horned owl that I have right here I think it's. It's a good symbol of the power of nature and the majesty of nature in the mysteries of it also. Ask any performer and they'll say that deep down they seek to enlighten as well as entertain the showmen are no different. I think the most valuable thing the scales and tails does is it opens people's eyes to our wildlife and therefore our natural resources as a whole gives them a new sense of appreciation and it makes an impact in how they treat or react to those resources and how they in turn can help to care for them as well. For example we have red tailed hawks that get hit by cars and they come to the road because they're hunting for things like mice and rats mice rats like highways because of the litter that we throw at our car and as people realize that you know the simple things that we can do in our backyard will

help make the environment a better place for everybody and all the animals and things in nature as well. Judging from the reactions of the kids scales and tails does indeed open eyes. Well people certainly react differently to the reptiles than they do our birds especially the snakes. Many people have very strong phobias about snakes. True but natural curiosity and the opportunity to experience these creatures up close can overcome that. Let me tell you tales was when we got to see the snake. This is my favorite hymn. They were near me. They stick their tongue out. And put it against us and. They know how to make people well yeah bit by snakes you know unless you unless you keep on bothering. But they will harm

you. And if you just leave them alone and they'll just they'll just be on their own way. On their way. No doubt to another show another star. There's something about a covered bridge that transforms a rural setting into a scene straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting. And you can visit any of Maryland six surviving covered bridges without running into photographers artists and tourists drawn by the bridges picturesque appeal so it might come as something of a surprise to learn that in their own era covered bridges were prized not so much as things of beauty but as a practical solution to a pressing engineering

problem. As the country's population grew there was a need for bridges sturdy enough to handle the growing volume of horse drawn wagons and carriages. And it was covered bridges with their ingenious wooden support systems. That provided the answer. The rocky road bridge built in 1856 over Owens creek north of the Fairmont is Maryland's shortest covered bridge. It uses a simple beam configuration for added strength. Dean Fitzgerald is president of the Frederick County covered bridge Preservation Society. If you just had a single timber across a stream it'll bend and eventually it could break. But to make that stronger geometric shapes are added to it to create a truss like here it's a rocky road bridge this very large triangle shape with 12 inch square timbers adds tremendous strength to that truss. And that precious truss is the reason the bridge was covered with a protective roof and

signing. The wooden truss is so expensive to construct. Our ancestors wanted to preserve that. The bridges timbers bear the marks of the craftsman's tools as well as the imprint of later visitors. Jeff Yoakum lives near the Rocky Road Bridge. One neighbor of us just tells me that one of her boyfriends carbonation just want a king posted. It wasn't her husband's. So she always puts it out to me when when I talk to her at the bridge. Another Frederick County bridge is located about four miles east of Thurmont. The LOI station bridge named for a nearby railroad stop was built about 1860 over Owens creek. During its long life. The bridge survived floods an ice jam. But in 1901 it was torched by an arsonist. Although nothing remains but a charred skeleton. Members of the community rallied to restore the

beloved landmark. We didn't want the bridge replaced with a modern bridge. We all wanted a covered bridge back. We salvaged the old burned. Remailed that and reuse all that material possible in the construction of this new rims. We sold singles at a dollar apiece so that we could help raise money to pay for the roof. This helps bolster community spirit and gives those people a vested interest in preserving that bridge. In 1904 the bridge was reopened and a jubilant rededication ceremony. We had about 7000 people show up and it was really a good time and there was a just a community effort to do something put back into the community. Another Frederick County bridge over Fishing Creek near the town of Utica has also had two different incarnations. This bridge originally spanned the Monaca sea when.

It was destroyed during the Johnstown flood in Alton 89. After the flood the debris was relocated here and reconstructed in 1891. This 101 foot long bridge is supported by a soaring arch a style patented by inventor Theodore Burr the burr arch transfers the weight of the bridge onto the stone abutments at either end and was typically used to span longer distances. Brian King is a member of the Frederick peddlers Bicycle Club. The covered bridges. Add an element to bicycle riding that you can't get in a more urban setting the sound closes in on you and it's usually darker than the surrounding area so it feels like you are just going through a tunnel and then emerging back out into the countryside. It really feels like you are riding through history. Further east Baltimore and Harford counties each lay claim to half of a covered bridge. The 87 foot long Jericho Bridge spans

the little gunpowder Falls River. Which forms the boundary between the two counties. Jumma Green is the Baltimore County historian. The Jericho bridge was just saying the link to your Jerusalem mill and the mill farther downstream the Jericho cotton factory. On the Franklin Phil cotton factory. But while bridges were utilitarian structures there were whimsical traditions associated with them. It was traditional in some circles for couples going through the bridge to find the deadness an excuse for kissing. And there was a tradition that you should wish for something when you go over the bridge. Whether they wear shoes or Grab it is not the territory of historians. Chris Koval curator of the nearby Jerusalem mill visitor center neither kisses nor wishes on the Jericho bridge but he nonetheless finds its presence comforting.

There's just a great sense of solitude about it at a time in which thank or ever changing in our lives. It's nice to have something that is stable and a reference to the past. Cecil County once had at least twenty one covered bridges the only two remain today. The Gilpin's falls covered bridge near Bayview was taken out of commission in the 1030 when the road was diverted and widened. But Mike Abrams who grew up near the bridge remembers a prank he used to play when the bridge was still in service. Where you can get off on top of a verb and want to think of the new car would come through with drop on it because we knew they couldn't get up on the bridge to get out of. Earl Summers also played near the bridge as a child. And it's just that we cherish the memory of those childhood things. Simmers Abrams and other citizens of working with the county to try to restore the bridge. The ends of its massive Burr arches of rotted. And now the bridge is sagging and twisty.

The problem is how do you lift. 119 foot long forty three ton structure to take out the ends of these arches replace them. So we are having difficulty finding a contractor who is willing to undertake that project at a price which we can afford. It. Time has been more kind to the Foxcatcher farms bridge in the northeastern corner of Cecil County. Mike Dixon is the county historian for your Foxcatcher bridge was built with a 360 and it was built by Ferdinand wood for the county commissioners cost of one thousand one hundred seventy five dollars to build this over a place that was called The Story hordes mill and its ghost rooms without conditions the bridge was part of a large DuPont family estate. It was eventually incorporated into the Fair Hill natural resources management area.

While hunters and Hounds once chased foxes through the bridge today the area is enjoyed by anglers hikers and trail riders. Nathan Graham is a ranger with the park. Walking through the bridge it's always like an old farmhouse. It creaks there's that certain feel of old wood underneath the view and it has a certain smell feel with that I think a lot of people associate with what I personally like how it looks with all four seasons when you can come down to the bay got pretty good look at it and how the area around the changes yet it stays steadfast. By the late 1800s new technologies had made wooden bridges obsolete. John McGrane the covered bridges lost their popularity when a sturdy wrought iron bridges became available which could be shipped into any county or municipality by rail from artworks anywhere in the country. But those precious relics that have survived provide a vital link to the

past. Covered bridges and mills are reportedly wonderful singer you things that survive from the 19th century. But that shows the ability of people to build things of wood. And it was a great tradition. You. Drop into our website at w w w dot MP t dot

o r g to send us your comments and suggestions. Learn more about Maryland's diverse natural beauty on our website. And in our magazine. Dno are inspired by nature guided by science outdoors Maryland is made by NPT to serve all of our diverse communities and is made possible by the generous support of our members. Thank you.